Burglary at Hailsham Football Club

MORE THAN £2,000 is believed to have been stolen during a burglary at Hailsham Football Club.

Two men jumped the fence into The Beaconsfield football ground sometime around 2am in the early hours of Good Friday (April 22).

The football club reported that the shutters had been smashed by two thieves who got into the club after jumping over the six foot high fence, damaging doors, breaking an alarm and phone line, and stealing the cash from the safe.

Club manager Ken McCreadie said the theft was not what the club needed in the current difficult economic climate.

He said: “We just need to keep going. It is a sign of society today and this sort of thing happens once too often.”

The men were both described as of black racial origin and aged between 18 to 20 in a police report.

The club was targeted in an attempted burglary earlier this month (April) when thieves fled empty handed.

Sue Williams, club secretary, appealed for help from the community after the latest incident.

She said: “We struggle enough as it is and we CEwould like to make a plea to anyone who might be able to help us.” “We carry on the best we can but it makes it so difficult to keep things up and running. “Whether it is some help with better security or someone with a safe they can give us - any help will be gratefully received. “We can also try to repay businesses for their help by putting a thank you advert in our programme.” The security fence at the club was installed around three years ago to deter unwanted intruders. In August 2007 the Express reported that a gang of yobs were plaguing the football grounds, setting fire to wooden pallets and tennis netting. Other vandalism reported at the time include roof tiles ripped off, graffiti sprayed on walls and bottles strewn on the pitch.

Other police reports of known Beaconsfield incidents include alcohol and a ticket machine stolen between March 23 and March 25 2008; a safe and £670 cash stolen on December 20 2007; a stand corner and wooden pallets set on fire, graffiti, litter and roof tiles ripped off between August 10 to August 11 2007 and a trolley of newspapers set alight next to a burger hut on January 5 2007.

Anyone with information about the latest incident involving the two suspects phone Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999.To help the club phone Sue Williams (07719590268) or email: williams.susan@sky.com